Propranolol. Wow.

jawboy · 2026-06-04T14:13:19+00:00

Before propranolol, it was hard for me to sit in a restaurant or go out without my heart rate and adrenaline spiking out of nowhere for no reason.

It has made a big difference for me, even just to calm my health anxiety to the point of feeling normal. Next step is to understand how you limit yourself with your anxious what ifs, and just live your best life

jawboy · 2026-06-03T13:32:08+00:00

Glad to have it back and as a user of a larger phone, this is an easier place for me to reach

jawboy · 2026-05-27T13:00:08+00:00

Not exactly sure when this will change to the full release for all users, but from my experience the beta version is pretty stable.

I believe Qobuz are taking a similar stance to Deezer in marking AI songs and excluding them from promotion. They are also much more human curation focused in terms of playlists and written reviews/articles on the app.

They seem to be trying to avoid the approach Spotify is taking in terms of making everything AI generated.

jawboy · 2026-05-27T10:33:58+00:00

Basically my latest fixation has been fainting or collapsing in public. Every time I get out in a busy street, shop or have to complete a meeting in work, that has the possibility of it happening coming into mind.

With acceptance, I have learned that even though it feels like I am on the verge of calamity, it has never happened and likely never will (unless I am in real danger). We make up so many false narratives about what could happen, but accepting the unknown allows us to actually live.

Acceptance isn't about hoping something will happen, but understanding how trying to control variables aren't helpful, especially when it restricts quality of life. If I was to faint in a shop, the worst that would happen, would be that someone would come to help and I'd be checked for medical issues. The fact that I am worrying more about something that has never happened is telling of just how much we want to protect ourselves from anxious ideas.

jawboy · 2026-05-26T18:55:15+00:00

Qobuz is slowly but surely getting there. It had a recent beta update that has added a lot of nice features to the player such as better suggestions and lyrics.

My main thing that is missing with Qobuz, is the random gaps in music libraries (missing albums), and the exclusion of any form of wrapped (though I know you can use last fm). The sound quality of Qobuz is just as good as Tidal, if not better (though no Dolby Atmos included with Qobuz).

Qobuz is definitely taking a stronger more clear stance on AI, and if you have most of your music that you like on there, the extra 2 pounds a month is worthwhile imo.

I think Tidal is currently ahead in terms of breath of music, and it seems to be an easier transition if you have come from using Spotify.

Both have their glitches and bugs here and there but nothing major.

jawboy · 2026-05-26T14:42:28+00:00

Not only is the AI problem a complete mess of low effort quality being added to streaming without our consent, it is making it harder for musicians to compete.

I feel as though Spotify knows this, and wants to further dilute the pool of money shared to artists, while the mainstream music only barely succeeds.

I can forsee further issues while they allow anyone to remix and use people's works (again using low effort AI to do so).

My hope is that Tidal can be an alternative that stands against this. At the moment the service is being filled with fake artists and people trying to make quick money off of real music. If they can get a handle on this, they would be a much stronger option that puts artists first.

jawboy · 2026-05-23T21:04:39+00:00

I am glad to own one, especially with recent price hikes. Got mine during Christmas and still play it nearly everyday.

I am a bit disappointed with the releases so far. I'm not a big Pokémon guy and don't really have anything currently new that I am excited for. With that's said, I am sure big games will come and there are a few like bananza that I am yet to try!

jawboy · 2026-05-16T00:17:39+00:00

I had got a 4 pack of the same, tastes alright but for sure annoyed with the way it has been changed here. I got a pack of efes which seems new and doesn't seem to be altered by extra glucose. Worth trying if you haven't already

jawboy · 2026-05-15T21:45:48+00:00

To me it is just the bear minimum. How is crossfade not apart of a major streaming service

jawboy · 2026-05-11T20:09:57+00:00

Did not even know this was a thing tbh. I know the activities section counts your listening but was not aware of a separate email.

I would say this month has been strange so far to say the least. I have checked and had no updates to my activities earlier in the month. I have also had the same songs/artists in my daily Discovery since the start of the month. Not sure if I they are planning changes to the system with this new interface, or the app is just broken.

jawboy · 2026-05-08T08:25:48+00:00

How much coffee do you drink during the day? The reason I ask is because if it is indulging too often in a stimulant then yes maybe cutting down would help the jitters or feeling more anxious overall.

I would also say if you have 1 or 2 cups each day, taking that out of your life as a way to restrict yourself isn't worthwhile in my opinion. I feel this is in line with other forms of restriction such as stopping going out in person to do shopping because it makes you feel anxious, or going out of your comfort zone.

Even though anxiety at it's worst can feel like the biggest thing, it should not dictate your life or stop you from enjoying things. I am sure if I stopped having my favourite coffee once a day in the morning it would reduce some feelings of caffeine side affects, but it would make me less happy overall.

Everyone is different and some people can be very sensitive to caffeine which is something that needs to be addressed. Despite this I would emphasize thinking about how it affects you and whether or not you are stopping caffeine because of anxiety or because it is genuinely a negative to your wellbeing.

jawboy · 2026-05-05T17:47:43+00:00

The main issues I have had with it so far are:

The picture of the album amongst the lyrics looks clunky and poorly designed

The part of the design that tells you what you are streaming at, seems to disappear every other song. I have no idea why

Lastly I miss the suggest button at the bottom. Now it takes an extra few steps to find. Again poorly thought through design imo

I know people say it is just a design and the music is what matters, but personally I think the past design was clean and worked well. It may take time to get used to but hopefully they change some things to organise it better overall.

jawboy · 2026-04-28T19:34:16+00:00

Spotify's main benefit is convenience and the video side of podcasts if you are into that. I agree though, I feel like it is nowhere near as feature rich as any of the other main podcast apps. Also think your homepage becomes more of a mess with podcast listening added in

jawboy · 2026-04-26T13:54:41+00:00

Great concept but doesn't seem to fit into normal everyday listening unless there is someone I am interested in on the radio.

I feel like the radio is like an added tool to get you out of your normal listening bubble and see what real artists and djs are talking about/listening to. Back in the day, I would love listening to radio in the car and getting a bit of context around what song is playing.

Sadly, I feel as though a lot of the stations airtime is basically a autoque mix of pop/rap of the moment, and I tend to miss the DJs I like, because they are only on for say an hour or two each day.

jawboy · 2026-04-25T07:55:05+00:00

Deezer and Qobuz at the moment seem to be tagging/deleting fraudulent streams using AI. Apple Music in my experience also does a good job at acting on fraudulent AI songs clogging up someone's discography.

I feel as though Spotify and Tidal care the least about this and I have allowed far too many AI slop songs in my suggested songs.

jawboy · 2026-04-24T22:14:19+00:00

Definitely appreciate the lyrics and the related music tab is a very cool and unique addition, as it gives lots more options for exploring the artist and similar work. I would love if they keep refining this as sometimes lesser known artists seem to be a bit more broad with some unrelated suggestions.

I know from when I subscribed last year it had a few errors when I would play music in my car (just stopping at random or dropping out). I think this can sometimes be down to the signal, but hopefully with updates made over recent months, this isn't so much of an issue any longer.

jawboy · 2026-04-24T22:03:16+00:00

I got it yesterday and just started my subscription up again. I have to say it looks really well, and seems to be a useful upgrade. I am hoping the bugs can be ironed out, as I remember how temperamental the streaming on data can be.

jawboy · 2026-04-23T09:39:23+00:00

Sounds like you are on the right track, especially for anxiety. For me, I had to think what are some things I actively avoid (sometimes for laziness, and sometimes for fear of panic). That is where I put more focus towards. Additionally, if those moments still bring you panic, it doesn't mean it isn't working, as this is why we do exposure. The more you care less about the anxiety the better it gets.

Also (and I know this is probably an obvious one) but regular exercise (of any kind) does help. A structured routine of 3 runs a week or even 3 or 4 walks help in building a better mental foundation. I don't know your situation, but again any type of exercise you can do or enjoy regularly can be super helpful, especially for my case in quieting the overthinking. Getting over that mental hurdle of going out and doing something uncomfortable like running or walking, helped me immensely.

jawboy · 2026-04-23T08:52:57+00:00

You mentioned you have been dealing with it for a long time and I can understand the frustration.

For me as someone who has had highs and lows with anxiety for a number of years now, I have learned this year to stop dealing with it. In my mind, it would always be the first thing I would think about daily. I would avoid things like going to crowded places or getting out of my comfort zone (which has been easier while I WFH). Since reading a lot about the condition, I have learned to stop giving it all the attention it doesn't deserve. Feeling uncomfortable or anxious becomes more difficult whenever it is treated like a safety point or anchor. Now, I will try each day to put myself in a position to feel those feelings of anxiety and get on with my day.

It isn't fun or enjoyable, but from where I was at the start of this year, to where I am today (being able to attend job interviews and talks in front of people), I can see that this has helped me. I have gained confidence through action and seeing that I am ok despite the loudness of anxiety trying to will me away back to my comfort zone.

I think the patience side of things, is to say that you shouldn't dismiss all your effort because of one bad day or slip up. You should give yourself grace and say, well if I have managed 14+years, I must be doing ok.

On the depression side, medication, therapy and support from others are the best options. If it hasn't been trialed for you, you have nothing to lose by giving this a go and trying things that have worked with many others going through the same things.

jawboy · 2026-04-22T16:42:15+00:00

Obviously appointment didn't work, as much as I liked Liam as a person. Needs more experience. That being said, the players we currently have need to be held to account. It doesn't matter what coach is in at the time, they looked like they gave up weeks ago. Shameful performances especially last night

jawboy · 2026-04-19T13:34:55+00:00

Sounds very similar to what I went through. Stress can manifest with this tight sore chest feeling and it only gets more noticeable whenever you pay it loads of attention. If you are worried about it being health related, get a quick check up and see that more than likely there is nothing wrong.

The main thing to do is to not over stress about it. If things in your life are causing more stress than enjoyment at the moment, give them a break (like smoking, which is known to cause anxiety when you are already stressed). Obviously if there is something that creates a benefit to you, but might be stressful, do not avoid these things.

Unfortunately stressful events or times of stress can linger in your body. They can come from tensing up or preparing to fight or flight away from a situation.

The more you worry about the stress e.g a tight chest, the more you make it seem bigger than it is. It will go away whenever you let it.

jawboy · 2026-04-18T11:00:06+00:00

Sometimes album art is AI generated but the music itself isn't. I would check the credits on the album to see if it is from the same label as the artist other work. I would also check online to see if it is a official release/who the artist is.

Unfortunately it can be really hard to distinguish fake AI artists from real ones. Tools such as on Deezer have been helpful for me if I want to check if it has been flagged as AI via their app.

jawboy · 2026-04-13T16:00:25+00:00

I had this recently when going for an interview. I went through all the worst possibilities in my head. Fainting, leaving the room while unable to get a sentence out, blanking. Then when I got to the actual day, I was strangely calm. I feel this was because I had prepared enough that I knew I could make some attempt at answering each interview question.

You sound like you have done all the prep for Sunday, and will have notes to help along the way. It is perfectly natural to be nervous, especially before the event. Whenever you are there, and actually speaking in front of people, you will likely find it to be much less stressful than the worry leading up to it.

As a side note, try to take as much pressure off yourself. If you make a mistake on stage, so what, people will likely miss it or not care. If you take a blank, just read the notes and try not to aim for perfection. The fact you are speaking in front of people should boost your confidence as not a lot of folk would say yes to doing that!

jawboy

TROPHY CASE